


Come Back To me - WIP

by missthingsplace



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Hurt, M/M, Rating: NC17, Series, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-05
Updated: 2014-04-01
Packaged: 2018-01-14 16:54:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1273987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missthingsplace/pseuds/missthingsplace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Parings/characters: Jack/Ianto, Gwen, Rhys, Andy, OC's<br/>Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters ... unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while.<br/>Summary: Ianto has an accident and Jack's world is thrown out of kilter.<br/>Warnings: Do you watch Torchwood?<br/>Spoilers: Anything is fair game<br/>Rating: G - NC17 for series  </p><p>A/N: I must be mad starting another WIP but this has been demanding it for weeks!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

 

December 18th

“Don't forget the milk.” Jack yelled, not sure if Ianto has heard him before the door shut.

Jack poured himself a large glass of water, drank the whole thing in a few gulps and then placed the glass in the dishwasher. He eyed the top of the range coffee machine on the kitchen counter and decided against turning it on, he would leave it until Ianto returned from the corner shop in a few minutes. He made his way to the living room, flopped down onto the large, comfortable sofa and propped his feet up on the coffee table before him and promptly dozed off.

When he came back into consciousness the sun had set, just the glow from the street light outside the window casting shadows in its dimness lit the room. It took him a few moments to register that something was wrong and seconds after that he was rubbing his eyes as he leapt up from the sofa yelling out.

“Ianto? Ianto?” He called, rushing from one darkened room to another and not getting any response. “Ianto, where the hell are you?”

Silence was his only answer, interrupted by the ringing of his mobile from deep in his pocket and disturbing the quiet.

“Ianto,” he whispered hopefully to himself, pulling the phone from within his pocket and answering without even glancing at the screen. “Ianto? Where are you?”

“Jack? Jack this is Andy,” the voice of their local friendly copper came back to him. “don't hang up, this is about Ianto.”

“Ianto? What? Where is he? What's happened?” The Captain barked at him.

“Okay, Ianto has been in an accident,” Andy explained. “he's in hospital.”

“Hospital? Is he okay?” Jack fired back, phone perched between ear and shoulder while he dragged his boots on.

“He's unconscious, it seems he slipped crossing the road and a car hit him,” Andy continued to explain. “he hit his head.”

“But he's going to be okay?” Jack asked, unable to keep the panic from his voice now.

“I'm not a doctor Jack, speak to the them,” Andy replied, his voice softening when he added. “I'm sorry Jack.”

“Thanks Andy,” Jack replied simply, cut the call and shoved the phone back onto his pocket while grabbing his coat with the other hand and dragging it on quickly before stepping out into the cold, snowy night and running towards the SUV.

Jack paid no heed to the slippery snow on the barely gritted roads, he drove fast towards the hospital where he skidded into one of the few parking spaces and rushed inside to the reception desk.

“Ianto Jones,” He said simply to the woman behind the desk.

“I'm sorry Sir?” She replied, looking up from her computer and finding a very distraught looking man looking at her hopefully.

“Ianto Jones, he was in an accident,” Jack told her. “I need to find him.”

“One moment,” She told him, pressing a few keys on the computers keyboard. “Ah yes, he is in the intensive care ward on the third floor.”

“Thanks,” Jack called as he ran towards the lift, pressed the button half a dozen times and when it didn't appear fast enough he bashed through the nearby door to the stairs and ran up them two steps at a time.

Jack was panting when he finally pushed through the door on the third floor, the sign told him he needed to go to the right and he set off at a fast pace trying not to run in a hospital corridor, slowing only when he reached the door to the intensive care ward. He pushed the door but it wouldn't budge, frustrated he shoved harder but it ended in the same result so he rapped on the window of it with his knuckles until he spotted the button that instructed him to 'push for assistance' and he put his finger on it and kept pressing until an annoyed looking nurse came into view.

“Can I help you Sir?” She asked, opening the door.

“Ianto Jones, is he here?”

“And you are Sir?” She enquired patiently.

“Captain Jack Harkness. His Boss … his partner,” he told her. “please, I was told he was here, I need to see him.”

“Will you calm down if I let you through?” She asked him gently.

“Yes, yes,” Jack replied, consciously trying to calm himself and slow his breathing.

“This way Sir,”

The nurse led him to a room three doors away and then stopped before she opened it.

“He has had a nasty bang to the head, we have no idea how long it will be until he regains consciousness.”

“But he will, yes?”

“Only time will tell, but we hope so,” she told him honestly, turned the handle and opened the door.

Jack gasped at the sight of his lover looking even more pale in the bed than normal. A huge bruise covered one side of his face, a bandage covered a good proportion of his head and he was hooked up to all manner of machines to monitor him.

“Ianto,” Jack gasped, rushed to his side and grabbed his hand, kissing the back of it softly. “oh Ianto, come back to me, please?”

The nurse closed the door and left them in peace.

  
tbc  
 


	2. Chapter 2

December 20th

A knock on the door of the intensive care room caused Jack to turn his head in it's direction and when it opened Gwen's face popped into view.

“Jack, can I come in?” She asked politely.

Jack nodded.

“Any change?”

“No, nothing,” the Captain told her sadly. “I've been here all night and nothing has changed.”

“He hurt his head Jack,” she said gently, taking the hard plastic seat from the corner of the room and placing it next to the one Jack sat in and joined him next to the bed. “I spoke to the nurse before I came in, she told me his brain needs to recover from the trauma, to heal.”

“That's what the doctor said but they have no idea if it will be today or … ever,” Jack replied with a muffled sob then pulled himself together again before continuing. “they are taking him for an MRI scan later so they can assess the damage and estimate his recovery. But it will only be an estimate.”

“He's young and strong Jack,” Gwen said trying her best to reassure him. “he'll get through this.”

“He has to,” Jack replied, looking her straight in the eye. “It's a long time since I felt like this about anyone, I can't lose him now. Gwen, I love him and I have never actually told him.”

“I think he knows.” she said with a small smile. “it's obvious to everyone how you feel about each other even if you won't admit it to yourselves.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “and do you really think Ianto would have considered living with you if those feelings weren't there?”

“No, I guess not,” the Captain admitted. “I was actually scared of making the commitment, but it's been the best thing I have done in a very long time. Oh Gwen, he only went out to the corner shop, we live our lives in the knowledge that we could die at the hands of an alien and I could lose him to bad weather and a car.”

“You need to be positive, for both your sakes,” she told him, being practical. “have you got any sleep?”

“No, I was worried he'd wake and I'd miss it. I don't need much sleep anyway,” Jack shrugged.

“I am guessing you haven't eaten either?”

“A nurse offered me some breakfast but I'm not hungry.”

“You need to keep your strength up for when he comes around,” Gwen said with a small smile. “you'll need all you've got to celebrate.”

“Yeah!” Jack replied with a smile which then dropped from his lips almost instantly as he looked at his lovers prone form on the bed before them.

“I better go, I …” was all Gwen managed to get out before the machines went mad, alarms ringing loudly.

“Oh shit!” Jack gasped and slammed his hand onto the emergency button beside the bed while Gwen ran to the door, wrenched it open and yelled for a nurse, for help.

Instantly it seemed the room was full of medical staff and Jack tried to resist when a nurse ushered him and Gwen out. But Gwen helped, telling Jack they needed space to tend to Ianto and he finally stopped struggling and let Gwen hug him while keeping one eye on the closed door, wondering what exactly was going on in the room.

It seemed like hours later but in reality was only a few minutes when the door was flung open and Ianto was pushed out of the room on his bed. The alarms now silenced and the heart monitor sounding normal again but the medical staff seemed to be moving fast.

“What's happening?” Jack yelled when they pushed the bed past him.

“He's going for his scan now, we can't afford to wait any longer,” A nurse explained. “they need to find out what caused this episode and hopefully discover how to stop it happening again.”

“I should go with him,” Jack insisted, pulling out of Gwen's arms.

“No, wait here,” the nurse instructed. “it won't take long and we will tell you as soon as we know anything.”

Jack watched Ianto being pushed through the ward doors them collapsed onto one of the chairs in the corridor and put his head in his hands, not caring that anyone could hear his sobs as he finally broke down.

Gwen sat beside him, put her arm around his shoulders and let him get it out of his system.

“Sorry,” he mumbled to her some minutes later.

“There is nothing to be sorry for Jack,” she told him, handing him a handkerchief for her handbag. “it's a natural reaction.”

“He is going to die, isn't he? I really am going to lose him? I have been deluding myself that he might be okay?”

“Jack, remember what I said about being positive? We don't know anything yet, we need to wait for the results of the scan.”

“Yeah, I know,” Jack told her resignedly, gazing at the doors to the ward and willing them to open again with them bringing Ianto back.

“Coffee?” Gwen suggested, hoping to distract him a little.

“Hospital coffee?”

“True,” Gwen said. “tea?”

“Sure,” Jack shrugged.

Gwen rummaged around in her bag for her purse, found some change and after telling Jack she wouldn't be long – the vending machines were out in the main corridor – she hurried off to fetch their drinks.

When she returned a few minutes later with two cups of tea and a selection of chocolate bars she went to use her elbow to press the bell but stopped when she caught sight of Jack through its window sat exactly where she had left him. She had never seen him looking so worried and scared and it broke her heart.

tbc


	3. Chapter 3

December 19th

“You can leave if you need to, I'll be okay,” Jack told Gwen when they had finished their tea and snacks. “I know you were about to when ...”

“It can wait,” Gwen assured him. “the hub is still on automatic I am guessing?”

Jack nodded.

“Then nothing has come through the rift since we left for the night yesterday,” she said logically. “I was just going to check on things, power up the computer and the like but they can wait.”

“Myfanway needs feeding,” Jack told her. “Ianto always feeds her when we get there in the morning.”

“She'll be fine, she won't starve if she has to wait another hour or so,” Gwen insisted. “surely they must have some news soon? Want me to go and see of I can find anything out? I can even play the Torchwood card if need be?”

“I don't think you'll need to go that far,” Jack answered. “Surely they would have said if they had any news?”

“Perhaps, but it doesn't hurt to ask,” Gwen replied, got to her feet and headed for the little nurses office near the main doors.

The door was open and the nurse was on the phone so Gwen knocked lightly and hovered in the doorway.

“Thank you,” the nurse said, placing the phone back in it's charger and getting to her feet.

“Any news? About Ianto Jones?” Gwen asked.

“That call was about him, I need to speak to Mr Harkness,” she replied.

“Captain, Captain Harkness,” Gwen corrected her and followed her from the room, sitting back down next to Jack and taking his hand in hers.

“Mr … Captain Harkness, I am afraid that the MRI scan showed a small bleed in Mr Jones brain,” she began, noting the looks of horror on the faces before her she worded the rest carefully. “It is not deep and they are positive it is what caused the episode earlier. He is being taken into surgery to remove it now.”

“Oh God,” Jack gasped, feeling like his chest was tightening and he gulped down oxygen.

The nurse crouched down before him.

“You need to calm down or you will pass out,” she said gently. “slow your breathing for me, come on.”

“You can do it Jack,” Gwen encouraged and slowly his breathing returned to normal.

“That's better,” the nurse smiled. “having a panic attack isn't going to help either of you, is it?”

“No,” Jack replied. “I guess not.”

“I'll look after him,” Gwen assured the nurse. “I promise he's in good hands.”

The nurse nodded. “the surgery won't take long, he will be back on the ward soon.”

“Will he … is that what was stopping him from coming out of it?” Jack asked a little hesitantly, not sure if he wanted an answer.

“No, that was just a complication of his condition, his body is using all it's resources to heal the damage,” she explained. “he will wake when his brain has begun healing.”

“So I keep being told,” Jack sighed. “thank you.”

The nurse went to do her rounds, checking on the two other patients in the ward and Jack headed back to Ianto's room, Gwen following behind him and watched the Captain stand in the empty space where his lovers hospital bed had stood.

“He is going to be just fine!” Jack stated. “I have decided and nothing less will do.”

“Now there's the Jack we all know and love.” Gwen said, giving the man a hug. “why not do something to keep yourself busy until he comes back?”

“What?”

“Well, he was rushed in here yesterday evening, he won't have any of his things,” Gwen answered. “I bet he'd welcome his toothbrush and other toiletries when he comes around, and his own pyjamas. It won't take you long to pop home for them, despite the weather.”

“You are right,” Jack agreed. “he would hate waking up and not being able to freshen up properly.”

“Good, you do that and I will go to the hub, feed Myfanway and check on Janet,” Gwen insisted. “I will keep and eye on the rift predictor and I promise I won't disturb you unless I can't deal with it myself.”

“And Rhys can help out if need be,” Jack added.

“Exactly,” Gwen said. “go and give the nurse your mobile number, she can call you the instant Ianto comes back onto the ward if it happens before you get back.”

“I will, thanks Gwen, for everything,”

“There is nothing to thank me for, I am your friend, it's what we do.” Gwen told him firmly and then pressed a reassuring his to his cheek.

Jack did as Gwen suggested, made the nurse promise to call him if Ianto returned before he did to the ward and he and Gwen left together. After telling her to drive safely in the pouring snow he headed beck to the flat he shared with Ianto, hurriedly packed all the item he thought Ianto might need along with a pair of rarely used pyjamas and rushed back to the hospital cursing the weather and wondering if it was ever going to stop snowing.

He arrived back at the ward only moments before Ianto's bed was pushed through the doors by a porter, he waited until the bed was back in place and the nurse had checked his vitals and left them alone before kissing his unconscious lover softly on the lips and then perched on the edge of the bed and began to talk to him, telling him all about his life as a child on the Boshane Peninsular wondering if he could hear him and hoping he could.

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

December 20th

Waking with a start Jack wondered where he was for a moment and why he was so hot and uncomfortable until his eyes cleared and he saw Ianto still lying in the same place on the hospital bed next to him. He threw off the blanket that someone had thoughtfully put over him when he had finally given into sleep on the chair, got to his feet and stretched his aching body out. After taking a couple of gulps of water from a bottle he had gotten from the machine the evening before he brushing his fingers through his lovers hair off his forehead and placed a kiss upon it.

“I have to clean up, as much as I don't want to leave you for more than a few seconds I can't have you coming around and finding me a dishevelled mess.” Jack told him. “but I won't be long, I can assure you of that.”

Jack lent down and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the other man's lips and then with a sigh he left the room.

“Morning Sir,” a nurse said brightly to him when he emerged.

“Morning,” Jack's tone was somewhat less chirpy. “and please, call me Jack.”

“As you wish,” she said with what he assumed was a reassuring smile. “did you manage to get some sleep?”

“A little, thank you for the blanket,” Jack answered.

“You're welcome,”

“I will be back soon, I just need to freshen up,” Jack told her. “you have my number, if there is any change?”

“Of course, Rosemary, the nurse you spoke to last night has written it on the notice board in our office,” she replied. “any change in his condition and I will let you know.”

“Thanks,” Jack replied, gave her a little nod and headed out of the ward, the hospital and into the cold.

The weather had got even worse, a howling wind had come up to blow the heavily falling snow in all directions. Jack knew driving was not a good option but neither was walking in these conditions, in fact the only vehicle he could make out through the think falling snow was a snow plough moving at a snails pace along the main road. The hospital car park itself had obviously heavily gritted and was mostly free of snow so Jack decided to chance it. He rushed across to where he had parked the SUV and clambered in, started the engine and put the heating on full blast, already feeling like his hands and face were frozen.

Much more slowly and carefully than he'd have liked Jack eased the car out of the parking space and drove down to the main road. The snow plough had done a pretty good job but the Captain knew it could still be potentially life threatening – black ice was almost impossible to see – so he took care and time to drive to the flat. Once inside, thankful that the heating was on a timer and the place was warm he pulled out his mobile phone and called Gwen.

“Jack? Hi, any news?” Gwen answered.

“No,” Jack told her sadly. “he's still unconscious but it looks like the operation did it's job, no more episodes as they like to call them.”

“That's good at least,” Gwen said gently. “it's not even been two whole days yet, give him some time to heal and he'll be back with us.”

“I know, I know,” Jack sighed. “It's just ….”

“I understand Jack, I would be the same if it was Rhys.”

“Yeah ...” Jack answered. “so, umm … is everything okay at the hub?”

“All fine just dandy,” she answered. “I stayed here the night on the sofa, Rhys insisted because of the weather. I have just finished feeding Myfanway and am a having a makeshift breakfast from what I can find in the kitchenette.”

“Chocolate hobnobs?”

“And tea,” she said.

“I've come back to the flat to freshen up and then I am heading straight back to the hospital,” Jack told her. “I am going to taken some of my own essentials will me in case I need to stay another night or too.”

“Good idea, I can't believe you drove in this weather!”

“The main road is pretty clear, and we do have an SUV,” Jack told her. “And I am driving very carefully.”

“Good, I will let you get back to your freshening up and I will talk to you later,” Gwen told him. “let me know what's happening okay?”

“I will, thanks Gwen. Bye,”

“Bye.”

Jack cut the call, put the phone onto charge for a while while he showered and then headed to the bathroom. He started the shower, stripped and then stepped under the cascading hot water, washing himself and his hair fast. Once he was dry and dressed again, this time more casually in jeans, a t-shirt and think jumper he packed his own toiletries and some spare clothes into a bag and rushed out the door again, ready to return to the hospital.

On the way through the hospital Jack took the time to buy coffee and pastries from the little café located by the entrance, the coffee was actually brewed by a proper machine so he took a chance on it. He knew he needed to eat even if he didn't feel like he was hungry. Arriving back at the ward the same nurse was still on duty and she let him in, informing him that she had just finished her checks on Mr Jones and that his vitals were all normal.

Jack thanked her, went back into his lovers room and had a thought. He turned on the TV that hung on the wall opposite the foot of the bed, thinking that if talking to Ianto might help stimulate his recovery then perhaps the sound of the TV would too. He dropped his bag in a corner, placed his coffee cup down on the small cabinet beside the bed and ate his pastries while watching the news on the TV.

It was a few hours later after a trip to the gents when Jack first thought he spotted Ianto's little finger twitch. At first he thought he had imagined it because it didn't happen again for a good few minutes. When it did he found himself elated, he rushed out to the nurses office and grabbed her hand before she could protest and dragged her into the room.

“Look!” Jack told her, pointing to the other man's hand and moments later his little finger twitched again – along with the rest of the hand.

“It's a good sign Sir … Jack,” the nurse smiled. “a very good sign but it could still be a while before he comes around.”

“That maybe,” Jack grinned. “but he is coming back to me.”

“Yes, I do believe he is,” she replied. “have you been taking to him?”

Jack nodded.

“Then keep it up,”

“I will,” he told her, perched on the edge of the bed and almost jumped when he spotted his lovers eyes flutter.”

“Did you see that? His eyes fluttered?!

“I did, talk to him Jack and I will get the doctor here to see what he thinks,” she replied, leaving the room.

“Ianto, Ianto? Are you there? Can you hear me? Come back to me,” Jack said, his voice not much louder than a hopeful whisper. “I'm here, you just need to open your eyes.”

Ianto's eyes fluttered again and Jack's heart jumped seemingly into his throat.

“Ianto?”

The other man's eyes fluttered again and once more until the slowly opened and looked at him.

“Ianto, on my God Ianto!” Jack gushed.

“What? Where am I?” Ianto asked his voice hoarse. “and who the hell are you?”

tbc


	5. Chapter 5

December 20th 

Ianto tried to scrabble up the bed towards the pillow but found himself hindered by the wires and drips attached to his body.

“I asked who the hell are you?” Ianto shouted, looking confused and scared.

“It's me, Jack, remember?” Jack said gently, trying to calm the other man down.

“Jack? I don't know any Jack,” Ianto frowned, his voice still raised.

The door of the room opened and a nurse appeared.

“I heard shouting, oh, Mr Jones, you're awake.” she said softly. “now what's all this shouting about?”

“I want to know where I am and who this man is?” Ianto demanded with pleading eyes.

“You are in hospital, you hit your head,” the nurse explained while Jack watched on in worried silence. “caused by an accident in the snow. This man is Jack, he's your … boss and partner.”

“Partner?” Ianto frown, his voice now a little quieter. “I don't understand.”

“We live together Ianto, we have done for a little while now,” Jack answered.

“Oh well I know that isn't true,” Ianto huffed indignantly. “I would know if I was into men and I haven't even left school yet!”

“But ...” Jack began but the nurse urged him to wait.

“Ianto, I am going to ask you a few questions, is that okay?” She asked.

Ianto nodded, not looking at the other man. “I guess.”

“What is your full name?”

“Ianto Jones,”

“What year were you born?”

“1983.”

“What year is it now Ianto?”

“1999 of course, I will be 16 in a few weeks,” Ianto replied. “look, this is stupid, I want to see my mum and Joanna.”

“Joanna?” The nurse asked.

“My girlfriend.” Ianto said as if it should be obvious.

“Ianto, I need to fetch a doctor to look at you,” the nurse said softly. “it's not 1999 it's 2014 and you are 31.”

“Don't be ridiculous,” Ianto retorted.

“Here,” Jack passed him a magazine that sat on the shelf of his bedside cabinet dated July 2014.

Ianto glared at him and snatched it from his hand, read the date and then threw it down on the floor.

“It's a trick, I don't know why but you are responsible for this,” Ianto sneered at Jack. “I'm sure the police will be very interested in why a … what … 40 year old man wants with a 15 year old?”

“I think it would be better if you left, for now,” the nurse told Jack. “have you contacted his mother?”

“I can't,” Jack whispered. “she died some years ago.”

“What was that, what did you say?” Ianto asked.

“He does have a sister though,” Jack added. “he doesn't see her often, but perhaps I should call her.”

“It could help,” the nurse agreed.

“Ianto, Captain Harkness here is going to leave for now,” the nurse informed him. “and I am going to call the doctor to the ward, okay?”

“Yep, as long as he is going,”

“I am,” Jack muttered, gave Ianto a sad look and left the room to the sound of the nurses voice attempting to calm Ianto down and insisting that he rests, informing him that he was recovering from surgery on his head.

Jack slammed the door of the SUV closed and pulled his mobile from his pocket. He had Ianto's sisters number in his phone in case of an emergency but until now he had never had cause to need to use it. He slowly scrolled through the built in phone book and pressed the call button and waited for her to answer, which she did only five rings later.

“Hello?” A voice answered, unsure of the caller at the other end.

“Hello, Rhiannon? My name it's Jack Harkness,” Jack told her. “We met briefly once, I don't know if you remember me.”

“Oh yes, I remember you, Ianto's boss, the one who works him so hard we barely get to see him,” Rhiannon relied.

“It's not quite that simple,” Jack sighed. “but Ianto needs you.”

“Why, what have you done?”

“Me, nothing. He had an accident, he slipped in the snow, got hit by a car and banged his head badly,” Jack explained. “he's in hospital in the intensive care ward, he's awake but there is a problem.”

“A problem?”

“He thinks it's 1999 and that he's 15,” Jack replied. “he asked for him mother and someone called Joanna.”

“Joanna? Now there's a blast from the past,” Rhiannon replied. “he was my best friends younger sister. Her and Ianto got together in their final year of high school but they went to different collages and drifted apart. She's married with two kids now I believe, still lives locally. Mum, well we lost her some time ago.”

“I thought it might help if you visited Ianto, that it might jog his memory,”

“What, with the shock!” Rhiannon stated. “he'll be expecting his eighteen year old sister not a woman of 34!”

“But that might help,” Jack sighed. “Rhiannon, he means so much to me, I can't lose him.”

“Means … I … are you telling me that he and you are more than boss and employee?”

“For a long while now,” Jack answered.

“He never said a damn word,” Rhiannon gasped. “well I never.”

“Will you do it? Come to the hospital?” Jack asked. “he ordered me out of the room, I left the nurse trying to calm him down before she called the doctor for his opinion.”

“Of course I'll come,” she replied. “mind you, how long depends on the weather, I'll have to walk as I am not going to risk driving it that snow.”

“I have an SUV, I could collect you,” Jack suggested.

“You don't have to go to the trouble,”

“I insist, you'll freeze if you try and walk,” Jack told her. “Just give me your address and tell me when to be there?”

“Whenever you can get her I'll be ready,” Rhiannon replied. “I have your mobile number now, I will text you my address once we finish the call.”

“Thank you,” Jack said, feeling a tiny bit of hope.

“See you soon,” Rhiannon told him and within thirty seconds of them ending the call he got the promised text with her address.

tbc


	6. Chapter 6

It took Jack about three times longer than it should have to reach Rhiannon's house, the roads around the estate where she lived hadn't been gritted, let alone cleared and it was over a foot deep. When Jack located the right road, then house he stopped by the kerb and before he could alight from the SUV the door of the house opened and a woman in a thick parka coat with a scarf wrapped around her neck, a knitted hat on her head and gloved hurried towards the car, her wellinton boots almost completely hidden in the snow. She opened the door, jumped into the passenger seat and sighed with relief at the warmth of the interior.

“Rhiannon I assume?” Jack asked with a small smile.

“The one and only,” she replied, pulling off the gloves and scarf. “so, you are the infamous Captain Jack Harkness. My brothers boss and apparently boyfriend?”

“Boyfriend? I'm not sure either of us has ever used that term but yes, I am both his boss and partner.” Jack answered, starting the engine of the car again. 

“Okay, we can talk more about this later. You said Ianto had an accident, were you with him?” She asked a little confrontational.

“No, he popped out to the corner shop, we needed milk among other things,” Jack replied. “it was a stupid accident.”

“Did the driver stop?”

“Yes, Gwen – a work mate told me that he was horrified at hitting him and he was the one to call an ambulance,” Jack related what she had told him at some point while they were at the hospital. “but he had no identification on him so it took a while for me to discover where he was.”

“You didn't wonder why he hadn't come home? I am assuming you are living together?”

“We had had a busy day, I dozed off while he was gone and I woke to find myself alone,” Jack told her sadly, finally leaving the snow covered roads of the estate and heading onto the main roads. “it was then my phone rang and a local copper – a friend called with the news, he realised who it was and called me.”

“Thank goodness for that!” Rhiannon sighed. “He is awake and okay thought? Apart from the memory loss?”

“He is now, he had to have an operation but he is doing well, except for that … I ...” Jack trailed off, gulping down he emotions. 

“Then my visit is going to come as a shock, but hey, maybe it will shock his memories back again,” Rhiannon said, not missing the sadness in the man's eyes. “he … did he ask for mam?”

Jack nodded. “I couldn't bring myself to tell him she had died.”

“That's okay, we'll cross that bridge when it comes up again,” she replied, feeling a little apprehensive as they turned into the hospital car park and found a space to stop. “right, lets do this.”

Rhiannon put her hat and gloves back on for the walk across the car part and then let Jack lead the way through the hospital to the intensive care ward, waited patently for the nurse to let them through the doors and once she had entered the room and saw her bother looking pale with a huge bandage around his head all her resolve to stay strong fled. She burst into tears and rushed to his side, hugging him and kissing his cheek before he could react.

“What the … get off me … who the hell are you?” Ianto blurted out angrily. 

“It's me stupid, your sister!” Rhiannon hugged, releasing her hold on him and stepping back a little.

“You can't be,” Ianto frowned, looking at the woman beside him. “My sister is young, you're old.”

“Charming! Ianto it's true, look at me properly,” Rhiannon insisted.

“Is this some kind of trick?” Ianto asked Jack. “Are you trying to convince me this woman is my sister and that everything you are telling me is the truth so I will believe that we are … lovers?”

“Ianto, this is your sister,” Jack said sadly.

“Ianto, it's 2014, I am 34,” Rhiannon stated. “I am not lying to you, no-one is lying to you I promise.”

“You do look a little like my sister but … this is all confusing,” Ianto said, a tear sliding down his cheek. “I … I need to see mam.”

Rhiannon glanced at the Captain, sat on the chair next to the bed and took Ianto's hand in hers before speaking.

“You can't Ianto, I'm so sorry but mam died when you were twenty two,” she told him gently. “she's gone.”

“No, she can't be!” Ianto cried, yanked his hand from his sisters and curled in into a ball before pulling the blankets up over his head.

“That went well,” Jack snarked but his voice was full of sadness.

“Had anyone shown him his reflection? Then he would see that he isn't only fifteen any more,” Rhiannon suggested.

“The nurses wanted to wait a while,” Jack answered. “but I agree with you it might help.”

“Stop talking about me and get out,” Ianto's voice came muffled a little from beneath the covers. “both of you, just get out of my room and I want to see Joanna.”

“Oh boy!” Rhiannon sighed. 

“Get out!”

“Fine, we're going,” Jack yelled, turned on his heal and stormed out of the room.

Rhiannon ran after him, catching him up as he exited through the doors.

“Jack, wait, please.” she said, grabbing the sleeve of his coat.

“What's the point, he hates me? He thinks I am a 40 year old man taking advantage of an under age kid,” Jack replied. “I can't ...”

“Jack, answer me honestly,” she said. “do you love him?”

“Yeah,” the Captain replied instantly.

“Then he's worth it isn't he? For you to take the time needed for him to remember?” She said.

“What if he never remembers?”

“Then perhaps once he comes to terms with his real age you can get him to fall in love with you all over again?” Rhiannon suggested.

“But all the memories we had … they are not replaceable. I don't know ...”

“This is only a maybe Jack, he could get his memory back tomorrow.”

“I hope so, I really hope so,” Jack said, wiping away the tears that had run silently down his face. “thank you for coming, I think I need to be alone for a while.”

Rhiannon nodded. “You have my number, call me, okay?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“Go. I'll talk to the nurse about showing Ianto his reflection maybe tomorrow and stay here for a while. I can get Johnny to pick up the kids.”

“Thank you,” Jack said simply and walked off down the hallway while Rhiannon watched until he was out of sight.

tbc


	7. Chapter 7

December 21

Jack tossed another chunk of dark chocolate into the air, watching Myfanwy swoop down to catch it expertly before throwing another in her direction until it was all gone.

“Not exactly the breakfast Ianto would approve of I know but … well, he doesn't even remember me let alone you,” Jack told the creature, wondering absently if it would notice the other man's absence and if it was capable of missing him.

The sound of the sirens going off when the cog door slid open didn't even attract his attention from talking to the prehistoric creature.

“Perhaps I need to bring him here, how could anyone forget you?”

“Jack?” Gwen's voice asked softly, her footsteps nearing him across the floor. “Any change?”

“Not since I called last night, that I know of,” Jack shrugged sadly.

“Have you been back to the hospital?” She asked.

“No, Rhiannon called me this morning, he is still in denial that it's 2014 and is insistent that he is only fifteen,” Jack answered. “she has spoken to the nurses about showing him his reflection and after a little persuasion – they kept insisting that it was too soon – they have finally agreed that she can be there today, that she can give him the mirror.”

“Are you going to the hospital for this?” Gwen asked.

“I want to, I have it in my head that he will see his reflection and the shock of not seeing his fifteen year old self will have his memory returning like a shot,” Jack told her. “but I do live in the real world most of the time and I know it won't be that simple.”

“There is always a chance,” Gwen said gently. “even if it is only tiny, one or two percent wouldn't you regret it if he memory did come flooding back and you weren't there?”

“You didn't see him last night,” Jack told her, not caring that a stray tear was rolling down his cheek. “he was so angry at me, he has it in his head that I am some kind of dirty old man; a pervert.”

“Jack, he's confused ...”

“He hates the sight of me Gwen, and I don't know if I can cope with that,” Jack said, tears rolling unhindered down his face to drip onto his shirt.

Gwen pulled him into a hug, letting his bury his face in her shoulder and held him until he pulled back some minutes later.

“Thanks,” Jack said, a little abruptly.

“Jack, would you like me to go, to the hospital?” Gwen suggested. “I think, that maybe if his memory does come back he will remember me and along with Rhiannon. Then we can call you?”

“And if he doesn't remember, you can call me and I can forget all about the first person I have fallen in love with in years and get on with my life?” Jack answered a little harshly.

“That's not what will happen Jack,” Gwen said, getting angry with the Captain. “it might not happen today but are you going to give up that easily on, as you say the man you love? He could get his memories back in a week, a month and I know that he will feel awful for not remembering you; rejecting you and if he then discovers that you are discarded him … he will hate you for real.”

“Of course I love him, why else is this so hard?” Jack shouted at her, running off across the hub and up the stairs to his office.

“Then act like the man I know and be positive!” Gwen yelled after him, chasing after him. “Ianto is going to remember us all, Myfanwy included.”

“I thought about bringing him here,” Jack told her quietly. “surely seeing everything here would jog his memory?”

“Maybe, but one step at a time, hey Jack?” She said.

“I guess so,”

“How about this, you come to the hospital with me this afternoon but you stay outside the ward,” Gwen suggested. “I will go in with Rhiannon to support her because I can only imagine how upsetting this is for her too and then you will be there if his memory shows any sign of returning.”

Jack pondered on it for a few minutes before replying.

“Yeah,”

“That's settled. Now, I can probably guarantee that you haven't eaten or drunk anything this morning, am I right?” Gwen asked.

“I shared some dark chocolate with Myfanwy but if I am honest she got the majority of it,” Jack told her with a tiny smile.

“Then you'll be wanting that then?” She told him, pointing out the window to the coffee cups and brown paper bag she had placed on one of the desks when she had first walked it.

“I never even noticed,” Jack said, his stomach rumbling at the though of food.

“Not surprising,” Gwen smiled. “you wait here and I will fetch it before Myfanwy takes an interest and we will take time to eat breakfast together. Ianto will need you at full strength when his memory returns.”

“Yeah, when it returns,” Jack said, watching her walk down the stairs into the main hub and praying that she was right.

tbc


	8. Chapter 8

December 21st

When the rift predictor went off a few minutes after Jack and Gwen had finished eating the Captain almost sighed with relief at having something to occupy his mind of only for a little while. He and Gwen pinpointed the location on a beach around the coast and headed to the destination, the conversation a little strained with Gwen attempting to get him talking about anything and everything but in the end even she fell silent until Jack stopped the SUV on the cliff top.

“Can you see anything?” Gwen asked, following Jack down the rough track that lead to the beach.

“No, nothing obvious yet,” Jack replied, his eyes scanning the area and wondering if it had been washed out to sea.”

“It's quite a large beach, how about you go left and I'll go right?” Gwen suggested.

“Sure,” Jack nodded and promptly walked off to the right.

“Okay, I will go left then,” Gwen said quietly to herself and set off across the beach which consisted of a mix of sand and shingle making it a little easier to walk across than if it was one or the other.

Both of them kept close to the cliff until they met the waters edge and then moved back the other way, taking a new path, eyes firmly on the ground beneath them until Gwen spotted something hidden being a rock in the middle of a rock pool.

“Jack, over her,” she shouted. “I might have found it.”

Jack ran across the beach in long strides to where Gwen stood waiting for him, knowing that if she touched it before the Captain deemed it safe she would find herself admonished. Or dead as he quite often liked to remind her.

“It looks like some kind of creature,” Gwen said when he stopped at her side.

Jack moved closer, picked up a nearby small piece of driftwood and carefully used it to touch the creature, when it didn't show any sign of responding or retaliating the Captain moved closer and then sighed when we realised what it was.

“It's a fish,” Jack explained. “from about a hundred or so years into the future. It's related to Cod, they were fished almost to extinction by the middle of this century and science by then is advanced enough to create a fish that tastes almost exactly the same as Cod but is much larger and breed very quickly.”

“So the poor thing got swept through the rift and beached itself then?” Gwen asked, taking a look at the fish which upon a closer looked had a pale lilac sheen to it's scales.

“That's about the size of it,” Jack nodded, pulling a specimen bag from a pocket and using it to pick of the fish before sealing it inside. “we'll take it back to the hub and incinerate it, we can't leave it here and there is no point dissecting it.”

“I could get Rhys to cook it for dinner,” Gwen suggested. “might me nice with some chunky chips. Although after that business a few years ago with the alien meat I don't think he'd be quite so keen.”

Jack couldn't help but give a small chuckle despite his mood.

“I think it's best we just destroy it,” Jack told her and together they made their way back up the path back to the SUV.

“It it just me or does the path seem steeper now?”

“Yeah but only because it's worse going up rather than down,” Jack agreed.

“Look Jack, whatever happens later, well Rhys and I,” she started trying to word the sentence carefully. “we want you to have dinner with us. Rhys is making his world famous lasagne.”

“You mean when Ianto doesn't remember me you don't want me to be on my own?” Jack replied, his mood sinking again.

“No Jack, even if Ianto did start getting his memory back you still need to eat,” Gwen explained. “and if they move Ianto out of intensive care now he is conscious – which is probable – then they won't allow you to be there except for the usual visiting hours.”

“I … okay, fine,” Jack told her, not wanting to argue as they reached the top of the cliff and the SUV.

Jack stowed the fish in the boot and they headed back to the hub, the awkward silence settling over them once more. They parked and headed into the hub, Gwen offered to deal with the fish and Jack went straight up to his office. Gwen watched the Captain shut his office door and sit at his desk before making her way to the incinerator where she disposed quickly of the fish, washed her hands and went down to the cells and checked on Janet.

“I see Jack took the time to clear out your cell this morning,” Gwen said to the creature. “which is something of a relief to me. I get the feeling you'll miss Ianto, he's taken care of you for so long.”

Janet just tilted her head and grunted at her.

“Yeah, I know,” Gwen said with a small smile. “now all I want of for Ianto to see his reflection later and have it spark something in his mind, even if it's something tiny.”

Janet just stared at her.

“Right, I better go back to the main hub, check on Jack,” she said finally and left Janet staring after her.

Gwen found Jack still in his office and from what she could tell he had buried himself in paperwork, using the hated chore to obviously try and distract his mind for a while. Gwen left him alone, sat at her desk googling memory loss until she could creep out to get them some lunch and phone Rhiannon about Ianto.

tbc


	9. Chapter 9

Jack returned to the hospital with mixed emotions, Gwen was trying her best to be positive and upbeat, not insisting that all would be okay but making sure he knew that anything was possible. When they arrived at the door to Intensive Care Jack sat down on one of the now familiar plastic chairs in the corridor while Gwen pushed the button that allowed her entry and once she had vanished from sight he began to wonder if he had made the right decision to stay outside.

Gwen knocked softly on the door of Ianto's room and opened it to find Rhiannon already there, talking to him and gave them both a smile.

“Hi Ianto, I'm Gwen, we work together,” she said, introducing herself. “I know you are going through a hard time and what is planned for this evening so I thought someone else that knows you should be here if your memories come rushing back.”

“You mean he told you to come,” Ianto griped.

“Jack you mean? No, I offered, he is very worried and upset,” Gwen replied gently. “he wanted to be here himself but he didn't wish to upset you again.”

“Good, I don't want him here,” Ianto stated and then turned to his sister. “are we going to do this? I need to see my own face.”

“I'll fetch the nurse?” Gwen asked.

“Please,” Rhiannon answered.

Gwen left the room and returned moments later with the nurse who carried a smallish mirror.

“Are you sure you are ready for this Mr Jones?” The nurse enquired.

“I have to see for myself,” Ianto insisted, reaching out with one hand for the mirror.

“Remember Mr Jones, you are going to look older than you remember,” she said, reluctantly handing him the mirror.

Ianto took it and closed his eyes, holding it in both hands before him and breathing deeply for a moment or two before opening them slowly, the look in his eyes said it all. They widened in horror at his reflection, one hand leaving the mirror to trace of his face, watching it in the mirror as did so like he it was some kind of optical illusion. 

“Ianto?” Rhiannon asked.

“Rhi … I thought I was prepared for this,” Ianto answered, a tear sliding down his cheek. “I mean, you look older and … I knew what you said must be true on some level but I didn't want to believe it. I … Rhiannon, I'm old!”

“Thirty one is not old,” Gwen put in gently.

“It is when you think you are only fifteen,” Ianto answered, still staring at his reflection. “It's true … I … I really work with you and him?”

Gwen nodded. “You don't remember, nothing has come back to you?”

“No,” Ianto gulped. “in my head I am trying to remember if I finished my geography homework. I'm scared Rhi, what if my memories never return?”

“They could come back in a flash suddenly or slowly seep into your mind over the next few week or months,” the nurse said, trying to reassure the young man who was obviously getting more and more upset by his reflection and inability to remember. 

“But they might never return, right?” He asked her.

“It's a possibility but there are many things you can do to try and help,” she told him. “mixing with people you know, like those you have worked with and friends.”

“Like me,” Gwen said with a smile.

“Maybe,” Ianto said. “but you have to promise to keep that man away from me.”

Gwen sighed. “He loves you you know, very much,”

“So he says, but I don't remember him at all … Rhiannon, do you think I'll be able to talk to Joanna?”

“I will try and track her down, but I can't promise anything,” Rhiannon told him.

“Thank you,” Ianto said. “I think I want to be alone for a while now.”

“Are you sure that's a good idea?” Rhiannon said, looking at the nurse.

“It won't harm him to rest,” she replied. “the doctor will be coming to assess you tomorrow Ianto, if he thinks you are well enough you'll be able to go home, but you'll still need to rest.”

“Home? I have no idea where that is … I can't go and live with … him ...” Ianto stuttered.

“You can come and live with me and Johnny,” Rhiannon assured him. “you'll like Johnny and the kids will love having you there, they don't get to see enough of you.”

“Kids? You have kids?” Ianto asked, wide eyed.

“Yeah,” his sister grinned. “now, we will leave you in peace and wait for the doctors decision tomorrow before we decide anything.”

“Okay, thanks,” Ianto told her with a weak smile and then turned to Gwen. “Gwen, will it be okay if we talk again, properly and see if it can spark any of my memories?”

“Of course,” Gwen smiled. “I should go, leave you and your sister alone for a few minutes.”

“Thanks,” 

Gwen slipped from the room and hurried down the ward, out the doors and found Jack exactly where she had left him studying his mobile phone.

“I was hoping for a rift alert, all this waiting around is killing me,” Jack told her. “so, I am guessing by the fact that you are not dragging me into Ianto's room it didn't work?”

“No,” Gwen answered shaking her head. “the nurse said the doctor is reassessing him tomorrow and he may be able to go home.”

“He's going to come back to the flat?” Jack asked hopefully.

“I'm afraid not, Rhiannon has offered him a room at her place,” Gwen explained. “once he is back in the real world then there will be more things that could help spark his memories.”

“I guess ...”

“He wants to talk to me more, someone he worked with,” she said. “he's hoping that might help.”

“That's something,” Jack shrugged. “I am trying to be positive, I really am.”

“I know, come on, lets get out of here,” Gwen suggested.

“Yeah, I really need a drink, join me?”

“Sure,” she answered, knowing that for Jack to require alcohol he was feeling really bad and she didn't want to leave him alone. 

tbc


End file.
